Music Preview: Toby Keith might not be for the war, but he's behind our soldiers

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ^ | June 30, 2005 | Ed Measley

[rightwingintelligentsia]

Toby Keith is tearing up the country charts this very minute with a smile-inducing sing-along that hangs its chorus on the line "I ain't as good as I once was/But I'm as good once as I ever was."

-SNIP-

"I completely supported the Afghanistan thing 100 percent," he says. "You've got a guy dealing guns and crack in your neighborhood by your kids' school, you call the police. You want 'em to go in, bust it up and get the bad guy, right? Well, when somebody flies planes into buildings, the armed forces may be the police to go do it, but you still want 'em to go get the bad guy. So all of a sudden, because of my song, which is 100 percent all about 9/11 -- it has nothing to do with the Iraq War -- I get lumped into that anyway, but that's part of the baggage you've gotta deal with. It comes with the territory."

He never supported the war in Iraq, he says, although a recent trip to Europe may have changed his mind.

[rightwingintelligentsia]

The most interesting part of this article is toward the middle, in which TK recalls a meeting with some top European military brass (even France) who all acknowledge that Saddam Hussein "had to go" and that "they all agree, and some of them, even to the point of using the word embarrassed, said, 'We agree with what y'all are doing but politically, our country won't let us involve ourselves.'"

[Coop]

Very good article. Thanks for posting.

I don't agree with Toby's portrayal of the war in Iraq as a mess, but I respect him immensely for being able to set aside his personal feelings and support our armed forces 100%.

[Molly Pitcher]

Ping

[over3Owithabrain]

Actually, most of what he says is supportive of the Iraq war, especially the shot at CNN and the comments of the other countries' military leaders. Also, he gets a thinly veiled compliment of Bush in too.

[milemark]

I keep hearing that "you can't say that you support the troops if you don't support their mission." Which does make sense. It's like saying "You're doing something bad but doing it well."

[Coop]

Oh, I read the whole thing, and found it very interesting. I just mentioned that one area where I take issue with Mr. Keith. But he still has my deep respect. And isn't it simply amazing that he's shacking up with a former USMC Commandant and current CINCEUR, with access to leaders from nations?!? Gotta luv it!

[lysie]

Thanks, Molly.

[over3Owithabrain]

I'm sure the military brass love this guy, between "Red White and Blue" and "American Soldier". Exactly the kind of songs that fire up the fighting men and women and also rally the country around their effort. Keith mentions he is a consevative Democrat. Too bad there are not more like him! Too bad for the Democrats they don't know how to appeal to that part of their constituency!

[Coop]

I keep hearing that "you can't say that you support the troops if you don't support their mission."

My argument is, would any person in his/her right mind tell their spouse "Your job is a complete joke. I cannot even scrape up a shred of respect for your embarassing efforts. You're also a worthless parent, a complete bum around the house, and a lousy lover. But I love you, Snookums!"

Didn't think so.

[rwa265]

I keep hearing that "you can't say that you support the troops if you don't support their mission." Which does make sense. It's like saying "You're doing something bad but doing it well."

Or it's like saying you support the players on the Pittsburgh Steelers but you hope they drop out of the Super Bowl because their opponent might beat them.

[sirchtruth]

OT: May I please inquire how to find my bookmarks? I've looked everywhere.

Thanks.

[harpu]

Thanks...great post!

[Allegra]

I saw Toby Keith and Ted Nugent perform on one of the American bases in Baghdad last summer. Toby certainly never let on about his feelings about the war one way or the other, but he put on a great show laced with lots of patriotism and support for the troops.

Anything that makes the solders' faces light up is OK by me. ;-)

[Fawn]

WEll.. thank God. Now I can sleep at night.

[lonestar]

WEll.. thank God. Now I can sleep at night.

My thoughts!

[JackDanielsOldNo7]

Keith mentions he is a consevative Democrat.

I saw Toby in Raleigh couple of weekends ago. Watching his show you would never know he has a D by his name. I betcha he hasn't voted Democrap in awhile. I could be wrong though. It was a great show and I highly recommend his show to anyone.

[Marauder]

So it's some of those things there that make it hard for me to argue with us being in there, even though I don't agree with this war and it looks like a complete disaster.

Could he be hearing about the "disaster" on CNN and other leftist media? There are problems in Iraq, but it's going a lot better than the media report it.

Keith, along with many other people, need to understand that if we weren't keeping the enemy engaged over there, we'd be facing them here sooner or later.

[mc5cents]

Toby is a democrat? Say it ain't so Toby. Say it ain't so.

Anyway, "conservative democrat"? Oxymoron methinks.

[Jimmy Valentine's brother]

I don't agree with Toby's portrayal of the war in Iraq as a mess

I think Laura Ingraham's phrase comes to mind. Toby this is a War on Terror not on the Taliban, not on Saddam. This war does not end in Iraq.

[mc5cents]

So it's some of those things there that make it hard for me to argue with us being in there, even though I don't agree with this war and it looks like a complete disaster.

I happened to catch some of Brit's show yesterday and he had David McCullough on talking about his book "1776". Wonderful history lesson. After the battle of Brooklyn and several other battles around that time, America had lost the revolutionary war. Lost it! Imagine what we would have become if CNN and the 24 hour news doomsayers had been around then! My god. Thank God for George Washington and those 3,000 men who stayed with him.